Justin Rose happy with preparations ahead of Charles Schwab Challenge
Thursday 23 May 2019 12:05, UK
Defending champion Justin Rose says he is feeling fresh and happy with his preparations going into this week's Charles Schwab Challenge on Sky Sports.
Rose shot 20-under par at the Colonial Country Club last year to beat second-place Brooks Koepka by three shots, and said in his press conference on Wednesday he is proud to see his name alongside other past champions.
"It was a special week for me last year," said Rose. "I played some of probably my best golf - certainly on the PGA Tour - that I can remember.
"I have my name now on the wall on the first tee. It's an honour because there are so many great names on that wall and I saw it today for the first time. That was a cool moment."
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Ben Hogan remains the only golfer to win the tournament back to back, and Rose says that while playing a familiar course is beneficial, the competitive field is what makes a title defence difficult.
"It shouldn't be harder to win at the same venue. Some major championships you win and the following year you're not even back at the same venue, so there should be a greater chance of winning somewhere where you have already won.
"From that point of view I'd probably say the odds are better than just if it was any other week where I haven't won before, but it's tough to beat 120 or 156 guys - whatever is in the field - every week on the PGA Tour."
Rose shot five-over par in last week's PGA Championship to finish tied in 29th place, and feels the preparations he made for Bethpage will carry into this week.
"I haven't historically played much after a major championship," said the 38-year-old.
"Last week I rolled into that major a little bit more like it was a regular event, I didn't go the weekend before and really try and grind out the course because it's a course I know pretty well anyway.
"I felt pretty fresh last week and because of how I prepared for the PGA, I'm think I'm now going to be able to go nicely through the next two weeks, because I'm playing next week at the Memorial as well.
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"I feel like there's good energy. If you can pick to peak at a major championship you're going to do that every time, but I feel like this is a three-week run of golf and hopefully I will find my best at some point in this run."
Rose is currently in 11th place in the Wyndham Rewards Top 10, and as a fan of the concept says it will add drama to the end of the season.
"I've got my eye on it, yeah," said Rose. "It's something I'm aware of, it's something I'm pushing for. But it comes through playing good golf, so I focus on that first and foremost.
"It will be interesting to see if it does dictate your schedule towards the end of the season.
"Right now I'd hope I'm going to play enough tournaments and I have enough opportunity that if I play well things are going to take care of themselves, but if I find myself eleventh with a week or two to go it will be interesting."
